Oscar Pistorius to sell house where he shot girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp to fund legal bills

Updated: 20 March 2014 21:00 IST

Lawyer Brian Webber said in a statement on Thursday that it had "become necessary" for Pistorius to sell the villa in a gated community in Pretoria because his ongoing murder trial will go beyond the expected three-week duration.

Written by Associated Press

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Pretoria, South Africa:

Oscar Pistorius' lawyer says the double-amputee athlete is selling the house where he killed girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp to raise money for his legal bills. (Pistorius' girlfriend standing when first shot: Expert)Lawyer Brian Webber said in a statement on Thursday that it had "become necessary" for Pistorius to sell the villa in a gated community in Pretoria because his ongoing murder trial will go beyond the expected three-week duration. (Read: Defense alleges police errors)

Webber adds that Pistorius has never returned to the house since he fatally shot Steenkamp in an upstairs bathroom in the pre-dawn hours of Feb. 14 last year. Webber says Pistorius "cannot contemplate ever returning to live there again." Webber says the house has remained "sealed" since it was handed back by police over a year ago. (Read: Firearms expert tells of Pistorius' love of guns)